Difference between Spotting and a Period. What is the difference between spotting and a period or menstruation? The quantity of blood discharged through the vagina is what mainly differentiates the two. In a menstrual period, there is a heavy flow of blood and can last for an average of three to five days, whereas in spotting, the discharge of blood is sporadic or irregular. Spotting may occur as part of the menstrual cycle; however, it can be an indication of pregnancy or an underlying condition. Periods. A period or menstruation is a part of the menstrual cycle. On the average, the duration of a menstrual cycle is twenty- eight days. For some, it may be as short as twenty- one days or it may last for thirty- five days. A menstrual period marks the beginning or Day 1 of the menstrual cycle. After one has its period or menstruation, the lining of the uterus will begin to thicken, preparing itself for a possible pregnancy. At the end of the menstrual cycle, when no fertilization occurs, the uterus sheds off its lining along with blood. The duration of a menstrual period on the average is between three to five days. As such, a period that lasts between two to seven days is considered normal. The amount of blood lost in each cycle is measured between four to twelve teaspoons. The following conditions are commonly experienced before, during or after a period: pain or cramps in the abdominal area, bloating, headaches or migraine, swelling in the breast area, food cravings, emotional disturbances such as irritability and fatigue. Spotting. Spotting or vaginal spotting on the other hand may occur between menstrual cycles. The blood or fluid that is discharged through the vagina is more often than not very minimal and at times can only be droplets of blood. The color of blood may appear as dark brown or light pink. Though spotting is generally harmless, it is advisable to consult a gynecologist, as there are several factors or causes of spotting which may need immediate medical attention. Given following are possible causes of Spotting. Pregnancy. Spotting may be an indication that a woman is pregnant, or if a woman is indeed pregnant, it can also mean that there is a possible problem with the pregnancy. Although spotting (if very minimal) for pregnant women may be considered normal, it is still wise to have it checked by a doctor. The following conditions in pregnancy may need immediate attention as it may pose a serious problem: Heavy bleeding in the vagina from first to second month of pregnancy may be an indication of ectopic pregnancy or it may lead to a miscarriage. If bleeding occurs after the second month of pregnancy, it may be a sign that there is a problem with the placenta. Medicines. Spotting may also be attributable to medicines, e. For women who have just started taking the pills, light bleeding between their periods may be experienced in the first 2- 3 months. Since the time you got your first period, you’ve probably come to expect a thin, clear or white vaginal discharge (otherwise known as leukorrhea) in your. Mid Cycle Bleeding Or Ovulation Bleeding. Mid cycle bleeding is bleeding that occurs around the middle of the menstrual cycle, which coincides with the time of. However, for women who have already been taking the pills on a regular basis, they may encounter bleeding as well if they missed their usual time of taking the pill. Ovulation. Ovulation is the process wherein the eggs are discharged by the ovary. Ovulation occurs from Day 7 to Day 2. As such, women may experience spotting in the middle of their menstrual cycle. Health Conditions. Infections - Sexually Transmitted Infections or STIs are generally the cause of infection of pelvic organs, like the vagina, uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. Hence, women with infections may have abnormal bleeding, sometimes after douching and intercourse. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease - Spotting or abnormal bleeding may occur to women with PID, which is the infection or inflammation of the reproductive organs such as the ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes. Uterine Fibroids - Uterine Fibroids are tumors that grow in the uterus. Brown Spotting Instead Of Period Pcos Diet SupportThough these tumors are benign or not cancerous, it can still cause bleeding between periods. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) - Also known as hormone imbalance, women with PCOS may experience spotting as the imbalance in the hormones interferes with the regular ovulation. Intrauterine device (IUD) - Women with Intrauterine device or IUD have increased chances of irregular bleeding or heavy bleeding. Cancers - Vaginal bleeding in between periods may also be a symptom of Ovarian or Cervical cancer as well as tumor in the vagina. Stress and Anxiety. Women under intense emotional stress or anxiety may also experience bleeding or spotting. Brown Spotting Instead Of Period Pcos Diet PlansOnce one to two weeks have passed since your period, or three to four weeks have passed since fertilization, you can confirm that there is a fetus developing with a. PCOS is a common problem among teen girls and young women. In fact, almost 1 out of 10 women has PCOS. What is PCOS? Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormone. Home » Women's Health » Brown Menstrual (Period) Blood and Black Vaginal Bleeding Brown Menstrual (Period) Blood and Black Vaginal Bleeding. Spotting, But No Period? 22 Reasons Why This Happens. Many women experience light bleeding or spotting between periods. Spotting accompanied by lower abdominal pain. Others. Other causes of irregular bleeding of the vagina that may need immediate attention are: Sexual abuse or assault. Foreign Object in the vagina. Polyps (growths on the cervix)Differences between Spotting and a Period. Based on the foregoing, spotting and having a period are two different conditions. The underlying difference is actually in the amount of blood that is discharged through the vagina. Spotting may occur at any point in time of the menstrual cycle that is why it is defined as irregular or abnormal bleeding. Bleeding is light or minimal and at times negligible as opposed to the heavy flow of blood that is experienced when one has her period. A light stain (normally dark brown or pale pink in color) may sometimes be seen in your underwear when spotting occurs. Often times, it becomes noticeable only after you have wiped your vagina with a toilet paper. Unlike in a menstrual period, the use of a sanitary pad or tampon is not necessary when there is spotting. A panty liner will suffice to absorb the blood. It is advisable to keep a tab of incidences of spotting, as this would help your doctor in evaluating your condition. Why am I spotting? You’ve started spotting on day 1. Ack! It’s a week before your period and suddenly you find blood in your underwear. What?! Your period was two weeks ago and it’s come again. Nooo! Spotting or irregular bleeding (known as Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding) causes a lot of distress for women because they feel this isn’t normal and they worry about what it means for the current state of their hormonal health and future fertility. Plus, it can be downright inconvenient. As if your period isn’t bad enough on it’s own, you’re then saddled with a whole lot of extra hassle each month. This creates a ton of stress that just compounds the underlying problem. Here are the most common irregular bleeding scenarios I see: 1. I spot during or around ovulation time. I start spotting sometime after ovulation and it lasts until I get my period. I spot anywhere from 1- 7 days before my period. I spot for a couple days after my period. I basically bleed all the darn time! Why is this happening to me? As you can imagine, there are quite a few reasons you might be experiencing bleeding between your periods. You also have to keep in mind that sometimes it’s a totally normal occurrence – pregnancy and ovulation spotting are two of those instances. However, infection, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, uterine polyps, fibroids, thyroid disease, anovulatory cycles (such as PCOS), and progesterone deficiency are not considered “normal” reasons for irregular bleeding. Dr. Lara Briden, author of the Period Repair Manual says “The spotting caused by any of those conditions can occur mid- cycle, so it could masquerade as normal ovulation spotting. However, it would usually be seen at other times as well.”1. Ovulatory spotting – In most cases, this is considered normal. In fact, this kind of spotting is a sign of fertility when it happens only at ovulation and you’re not spotting at other times in your cycle as well. Dr. Briden says, “true ovulation spotting occurs only with ovulation, and usually looks like fertile mucus streaked with bright red. It’s that pre- ovulation drop that causes a mini estrogen- withdrawal and slight partial shedding of the uterine lining. I find it’s more likely to occur in slender women with lower baseline estrogen. It’s perfectly normal and doesn’t need treatment.”It typically happens on the day of ovulation and can also be caused by the follicle rupturing as the egg is released into the fallopian tube. Low progesterone – By far this is the most common cause of spotting or irregular bleeding that happens anytime after ovulation right up to the day before your period. Progesterone keeps your uterine lining intact until your period comes. If your progesterone levels aren’t high enough, you might start spotting after ovulation. Or it might drop prematurely before your period and cause pre- period spotting. Lots of women ask me if ovulation is the only time that spotting is normal? Or can someone spot the day of or the day before her period and be okay? Dr. Briden says, “Officially, it’s “okay” or normal to see a few days of premenstrual spotting. But it probably means lower- than- optimal progesterone levels.”3. Bacterial or yeast infections – The other reason I’ve seen (and experienced!) for spotting before a period is when there is some kind of bacterial infection or bacterial imbalance in the vagina. Dr. Briden says, “Spotting is a common symptom of bacteria vaginosis, but it doesn’t seem to correlate with hormones. It relates to inflammation of the cervix, so women see red- tinged mucus after the cervix has been bumped, say after sex or a PAP smear.”I’ve personally experienced spotting because of an infection so I highly recommend seeing a doctor to get diagnosed. Additionally, you might want to try Purefem suppositories, VH Essentials suppositories or Flora. Femme suppositories for a more natural treatment. I’ve tried them all and they are very effective. Fibroids, endometriosis or adenomyosis – More serious conditions like these also contribute to spotting and irregular bleeding. They are often linked to an imbalance in estrogen and progesterone, where estrogen becomes dominant over progesterone and over- stimulates the endometrial lining. There are other factors that play a role in their development as well, like genetics, blood sugar and insulin imbalances, obesity and immune system problems. Hormonal birth control – there are a number of hormonal birth control methods that can cause spotting and irregular bleeding. The pill, the shot (depo provera) and the implant (implanon or nexplanon) have all been linked to spotting in between periods. Stress- induced spotting – this ties in with low progesterone. When we’re stressed, we produce stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine. During long periods of stress, our bodies steal pregnenolone and progesterone to make more cortisol so we can survive. Remember, we need cortisol but we don’t need normal reproductive function to survive, hence the reason our ovaries take a big hit when we experience ongoing psychological stress. What can I do? Now it’s time to take back control of your hormonal health! There is a lot you can do to address irregular bleeding in between cycles, especially from a root cause perspective. Progesterone should remain high during the luteal phase and if it is prematurely dropping that needs to be addressed. If you are spotting anytime after ovulation and/or leading up to your period here’s what you should do: 1. Make sure you are actually ovulating. If you are not ovulating consistently, you are going to be progesterone deficient. This requires tracking your cycle using an app (I wrote a post about the best apps here) and even taking your basal body temperature to see if there is a mid- month rise in temps. Progesterone raises your body temperature so you will see a distinct thermal shift 1- 2 days after ovulation occurs. So if you happen to have a stressful event during that time, your body might delay ovulation by a day or longer and you could miss your opportunity to get pregnant if that’s what you’re trying to do. Get your progesterone tested. Ideally you want your progesterone tested on days 1. If you ovulate later, just count 7 days after ovulation and get your test done then. Your blood serum progesterone level should be 1. L and your saliva progesterone level should be 7. L. If it is lower, don’t freak out. Hormone levels fluctuate a lot during the course of a day. It’s important to pay attention to the symptoms first and foremost. Increase your progesterone levels. I love this cookbook for leafygreens too! You should also incorporate pumpkin, chia and flax seeds to get a good dose of food- based magnesium. Add them to smoothies, salads, or on top of your favorite dishes. Additionally it’s a good idea to add in 2. You can try seed- cycling, where you consume certain seeds throughout your monthly cycle that provide the nutrients to maintain proper hormone balance. Get my free guide here. Try rhodiola rosea. It’s commonly used for reigning in the bad boy hormone cortisol. This will help reduce the conversion of progesterone to cortisol which will indirectly raise your progesterone. I recommend 2. 00mg twice a day for 8- 1. Here is the brand I have used and love. I also recommend seeing an acupuncturist who will look more deeply at your hormonal balance and help you address the specific cause of your spotting with regular acupuncture and herbs. If you are spotting and you suspect you have a bacterial infection here is what you should do: 1. See a doctor for a diagnosis. And by doctor I don’t mean “Dr. Google” okay? Address the root cause. In most of the cases I’ve seen (including myself), healing the gut has helped reduce and eliminate any chronic bacterial or yeast infections. Start with something simple like 8oz of bone broth daily (you can now buy bone broth online!) and fermented foods like sauerkraut with each meal. Treat it effectively. I don’t love the prescription meds for bacterial or yeast infections and don’t find them particularly useful! Just my humble opinion but obviously you should do what feels best for you. Instead I have found some other solutions to tackle this issue: If you have a condition like endometriosis, fibroids or adenomyosis here is what you should do: 1. Test your estrogen levels to make sure they aren’t too high in relation to your progesterone. If you are estrogen dominant, I recommend following these steps: Take a good B complex vitamin. You need sufficient B6, B9 and B1. Try Thorne Research Basic B Complex. Consider taking SGS. This is a broccoli extract that effectively supports phase 2 of liver detoxification which tends to get backlogged because there are more detox pathways than in phase 1. Try Thorne Research Crucera SGS. Take 2 capsules every other day for 4 weeks. Include more turmeric in your diet. I think everyone should include more turmeric in their diet, regardless of estrogen dominance. It is one seriously awesome spice that has many benefits like less pain, inflammation and lighter periods! The best way to consume it is with some form of healthy fat like coconut oil and black pepper. Check out my friend Michelle Lyons’ blog post on how to make this fabulous concoction. I want to hear from you! Do you experience spotting or irregular bleeding each month? Did this post help you pinpoint the possible causes? Your assignment this week is to share this post on social media or with any woman who might need this vital information. Share buttons below . References: Check out my friend Dr. Lara Briden’s blog and her excellent book The Period Repair Manual.
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